Which all means it is time to take down the Christmas tree, outside lights and generally de-decorate. As a kid, we usually did it the weekend following Epiphany, and it was one of the saddest days of the year for me. I was fully prepared for sadness today, but the day ended up being pretty good, if a little solitary.

And I feel pretty good about it all. It gave me a chance to clean up a bit, to really look at all the great ornaments we have and to think about all of the happiness the represent. So here I am resting on the couch, with shiny floors, vacuumed carpets, the sharp smell of vinegar mixing with the fading aroma of cinnamon-scented pine cones. It's a quiet moment before the week roars to a start and we only have stray pine needles and some pictures to remind us of Christmases Past.